System and Method for Modular, High Volume Deepwater Facility Production

ABSTRACT

Production systems and associated methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the production system includes a production barge and a production facility disposed on the production barge. The production facility is operable to produce a plurality of modular components for use in construction of an offshore structure, wherein the modular components comprise at least one of a stiffened plate and a stiffened tubular.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/096,174 filed on Sep. 11, 2008, and entitled “Modular, High Volume Deepwater Facility Production,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to production systems and methods for manufacturing of components for offshore structures, including fixed or floating platforms and vessels. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to systems and associated methods for high-volume fabrication of modular components for the offshore structures.

Conventional methods for fabrication and assembly of offshore structures are driven by the design of the offshore structures themselves and typically require special procedures that can be performed only by skilled technicians. Consequently, production of an offshore structure is a lengthy and expensive process. Limited capacity of existing yards wherein offshore structures may be fabricated and assembled further increases production costs and completion time for these structures. Moreover, in some locations, expansion beyond existing yard capacity to reduce production time and cost is either impossible due to a lack of space or undesirable due to local conditions. In other locations, expansion is possible but not desirable for economic reasons. For example, there may be only a short term need for expansion of an existing yard or construction of a new yard that does not justify the associated expense.

SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Production systems and associated methods for high volume production of modular components of offshore structures are disclosed. In some embodiments, the production system includes a production barge and a production facility disposed on the production barge. The production facility is operable to produce a plurality of modular components for use in construction of an offshore structure, wherein the modular components comprise at least one of a stiffened plate and a stiffened tubular.

In some embodiments, the production system a production facility adapted to produce modular components for use in construction of an offshore structure, wherein the modular components comprise at least one of a stiffened tubular and a stiffened plate modified using automation within the production facility, a yard assembly area proximate the production facility, wherein the modular components are assembled to form a portion of the offshore structure, and a load out barge operable to deliver the portion of the offshore structure to an offshore installation site.

Some methods for producing an offshore structure include identifying modular components that are manufacturable substantially using automation, developing a design for the offshore structure, the design incorporating a plurality of the modular components, fabricating the modular components within a production facility positioned proximate a load out barge, and transporting the modular components on the load out barge to an offshore installation site.

Thus, the embodiments of the invention comprise a combination of features and advantages that enable substantial enhancement of production systems and associated methods for offshore structures. These and various other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and by referring to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a production system in accordance with the principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 2 depicts a stiffened tubular column and a deck fabricated by the production system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of a production system in accordance with the principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 4 depicts rolling of joined plate members in line 132 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 depicts a T-beam fabricated by either line 134 or line 136 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 depicts a portion of the deck fabricated by line 138 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate assembly of a stiffened tubular column;

FIG. 9 illustrates assembly of the deck;

FIGS. 10A and 10B depict a stiffened plate member which may be fabricated by the production system of FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of a production system in accordance with the principles disclosed herein;

FIGS. 12A and 12B depict an embodiment of the production system of FIG. 11, wherein modular pontoons are fabricated and assembled to form a hull of an offshore platform;

FIG. 13 depicts an embodiment of the production system of FIG. 11, wherein the mechanized production facility is land-based, rather than on a barge;

FIGS. 14A and 14B depict an embodiment of the production system of FIG. 11, wherein modular spacer barges are fabricated and assembled with pontoons to form a transport barge;

FIG. 15 depicts an embodiment of the production system of FIG. 11, wherein modular tubular members are fabricated and assembled to form buoyancy cans of an offshore platform;

FIG. 16 depicts the load out barge of FIG. 11 transporting an offshore platform;

FIG. 17 depicts the load out barge of FIG. 11 transporting a topside for an offshore platform; and

FIG. 18 depicts floatover installation of the topside of FIG. 17 using the load out barge of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used for like parts throughout the several views. The drawings in the figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form, and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

Also, in the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Further, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection, or through an indirect connection via other devices and connections.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a schematic representation of a high-volume, purpose-built production system in accordance with the principles disclosed herein. Production system 100 includes a production facility 105 that may be land-based or installed on a vessel, such as a barge. Production facility 105 receives raw material(s) and/or components formed of raw material(s) 110 and modifies the raw materials/components 110 received to produce modular components, or modules, 115 which are subsequently assembled to form, or assembled with other equipment to form, a portion of an offshore structure, such as but not limited to a fixed or floating platform or vessel. Raw materials/components 105 includes tubulars and plates. These raw materials/components 105 are modified within production facility 105 to form modules 115, such as but not limited to tubular structures for a cell or column in a spar, a buoyancy can or suction pile for a platform, or a stiffened plate structure for a pontoon, truss member for a topside, or topside deck.

Production facility 105 has a manufacturing layout 120 within a receiving end 125 and a delivery end 130. Receiving end 125 and delivery end 130 can be situated anywhere with respect to one another in production facility 105. For example, receiving end 125 and delivery end 130 can be adjacent one another or opposite one another as illustrated. Raw materials/components 105 are input to production facility 105 at receiving end 125. Modules 115 produced by facility 105 are output from facility 105 at delivery end 130. In some embodiments, the spatial requirements for manufacturing layout 120 are determined by the installed location of facility 105. For example, production facility 105 may be installed on a production vessel or barge, enabling production facility 105 to be relocatable. In such embodiments, the spatial requirements for layout 120 of facility 105 are limited by available space on the production barge. Alternatively, the production facility 105 may be installed on land. In such embodiments, layout 120 may be larger, relatively speaking.

Manufacturing layout 120 includes one or more fabrication or assembly lines 140, each line 140 having one or more stations 150 disposed therein. In some embodiments, layout 120 further includes one or more storage containers 152 for storing tools, replacement parts, and/or other devices useful for maintaining operation of lines 140. Each station 150 receives an input 155, modifies that input 155 in some manner, and delivers an output 160. If a particular station 150 is positioned proximate receiving end 125 of facility 105, input 155 is raw material(s)/component(s) 110. Otherwise, input 150 is output 160 from an adjacent or nearby station 150. Upon receipt, station 150 modifies input 155, such as by but not limited to cutting, bending, heating, repositioning, coating, painting, joining with another input 155 by welding for example, and/or assembly with another input 155. When modification of input 155 by station 150 is complete, output 160 is then delivered from station 150 to another station 150 or from facility 105 through delivery end 130.

Input 155 may be received and output 160 delivered by station 150 via automated means, such as by conveyor belt or gantry, or by manual means, such as by one or more human technicians. Modification of input 155 by station 150 may be via automated means, such as by one or more gantries configured to lift, weld, cut, set, or perform another task, via skilled technicians, or a combination thereof. Preferably, all tasks performed by station 150 are automated or mechanized to minimize the use of human labor. This enables high-volume, repeatable, and continuous production of modules 115 by facility 105, which, in turn, enables faster production of offshore structures at reduced expense, as compared to conventional production systems and methods.

Manufacturing layout 120 is flexible. Each line 140 and stations 150 disposed therein are arranged such that facility 105 modifies raw material(s)/component(s) 110 in a systematic and efficient manner to produce modules 115. One or more of lines 140 may extend such that the direction of work flow within the line, defined by arrows extending betweens stations 150 in the line, is parallel to or in series with another line 140. For example, lines 132, 134, 136, and 138 are in parallel, while line 133 is in series with parallel lines 132, 134, 136, 138. Thus, tasks performed by stations 150 of lines 132, 134, 136, and 138 preferably occur at least to some degree simultaneously. Tasks performed within stations 150 of line 133, however, are dependent upon the productivity of lines 132, 134, 136, 138. Further, lines 140 and stations 150 disposed therein may be moved within layout 120 as needed to promote production of modules 115 or to change the type of modules 115 produced.

In preferred embodiments, production facility 105 is operable to mass produce stiffened tubular members 117 using a plurality of plate members 116, stiffeners 112, and girders 114. In such embodiments, raw material/components 110 provided to facility 105 are plate members 116, stiffeners 112, and girders 114, and modular components 115 produced by facility 105 are stiffened tubular members 117. As will be shown and described, stiffened tubular members 117 may form a portion of a cell for a cellular spar, a column for an offshore platform, and/or a buoyancy can for an offshore platform. Each stiffened tubular member 117 includes one or more stiffened tubular columns 200 joined end to end and a deck 205 coupled thereto. Thus, stiffened tubular columns 200 and decks 205 are modular subcomponents of stiffened tubular member 117. Turning briefly to FIG. 2, two tubular columns 200 joined end to end and one deck portion 205 are shown.

Returning to FIG. 3, lines 132, 134, 136, 138 are pre-fabrication lines operable to produce or fabricate various parts or subassemblies 123 which are subsequently joined at station 215. Station 215 is an automated fabrication and assembly station that receives components/subassemblies 123 and joins them to form modular subcomponents 121, which in this embodiment, are tubular columns 200 and decks 205. Station 215 is reconfigurable depending on the type of modular component 115 to be produced by facility 105. Stations 240 downstream of station 215 are assembly stations wherein modular subcomponents 121 are joined to form modular components 115, which as previously stated are stiffened tubular members 117 in this embodiment.

Lines 132, 134, 136 are operable to fabricate portions of tubular columns 200, and line 138 is operable to fabricate portions of deck 205. Beginning with line 132, plate members 116 are received by station 150 proximate receiving end 125 of production facility 150. Within line 132, plate members 116 are rolled to form a quarter panel 210, as illustrated by FIG. 4. Referring still to FIG. 3, quarter panels 210 are then output to an automated assembly and welding station 215 proximate the end of line 132.

At substantially the same time as production of quarter panels 210 by line 132, lines 134, 136 receive plate members 116 and through welding and rolling form large and small T-beams 220. As illustrated by FIG. 5, each T-beam 220 includes a plurality of plate members 116 joined end to end by welding to form a web 225. Another plurality of plate members 116 are rolled and then welded to web 225 to form a flanged portion 230. Together, web 225 and flanged portion 230 form the T-beam 220. Lines 134, 136 deliver T-beams 220 to station 215.

Also at substantially the same time as production of quarter panels 210 and T-beams 220 by lines 132, 134, 136, line 138 receives plate members 116, stiffeners 112, and girders 114. Line 138 cuts stiffeners 112 to appropriate lengths, as needed, and welds each stiffener 112 to a circular plate member 116. Line 138 then positions girders 114 over and extending substantially normally to stiffeners 112 and welded to circulate plate 116. This assembly 235, shown in FIG. 6, is then delivered to station 215.

At station 215, tubular columns 200 and decks 205 are formed. Specifically, two T-beams 220 and four quarter panels 210 are assembled and joined through welding to form each tubular column 200, as illustrated by FIGS. 7 and 8. Also, one T-beam and four quarter panels 210 are assembled about and joined to assembly 235 to form each deck 205, as illustrated by FIG. 9. Although only one quarter panels 210 is shown in FIG. 9, three additional quarter panels 210 are also joined to assembly 235 and T-beam 220 to complete deck 205. A completed deck 205 is shown in FIG. 2. Upon their completion, tubular columns 200 and decks 205 are delivered from station 215 to one or more assembly stations 240.

Within assembly stations 240, four tubular columns 200 are joined end to end through welding, as illustrated by FIG. 2. The joined tubular columns 200 are then joined to deck 205, also by welding, to form one stiffened tubular member 117. Upon completion, stiffened tubular member 117 is delivered from production facility 105 through delivery end 130.

Although line 132 is depicted as including three stations 150, line 132 may have fewer or more stations 150 than shown, wherein tasks necessary to form quarter portions 210 are combined or distributed, as needed. The same is also true for other lines 140 of production facility 105, including lines 133, 134, 136, 138. Moreover, the tasks performed within each line 140 may be executed in varied order. For example, within lines 134, 136, plate members 116 may be rolled and welded end to end to form flanged portion 230, and additional plate members 116 then welded to flanged portion 230 to form web 225, rather than web 225 formed initially and plate members 116 subsequently welded thereto to form flanged portion 230 as described above.

In the above-described embodiment, production facility 105 is operable to combine plate members 116, stiffeners 112, and girders 114 to from stiffened tubular members 117. In other embodiments, production facility 105 may be reconfigured to produce other types of modular components 115 using many of the same, preferably automated, processes. For example, production facility 105 may be configured to mass produce stiffened plate members 119, illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B. As will be shown and described, stiffened plate members 119 may form a portion of a pontoon for an offshore platform. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, stiffened plate member 119 may be formed using substantially the same raw materials/components 110, meaning a plurality of plate members 116, stiffeners 112, and girders 114, albeit assembled and joined in a different arrangement than that of stiffened tubular members 117 previously described. Thus, stiffened plate members 119 may be formed using many of the same processes described above with respect to lines 132, 133, 134, 136, 138.

Turning now to FIG. 11, in some embodiments, production system 100 further includes a yard assembly area 300 and a load out barge 305. Facility 105, whether land-based or on a barge, is preferably positioned adjacent yard assembly area 300. Likewise, load out barge 305 is preferably docked adjacent yard assembly area 300. In some embodiments, yard assembly area 300 includes a module assembly area 310 and a stacking area 315. Modules 115 produced by facility 105 are delivered from facility 105 preferably by skids to yard assembly 300 where modules 115 are, if necessary, assembled in area 310 to form, or assembled in area 310 with other components and/or equipment to form, a portion of an offshore structure. Assembled modules 115 or modules 115 not requiring assembly are stacked in area 315 prior to transport to an offshore installation site by load out barge 305.

FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate an embodiment of production system 100, wherein modular pontoons 400 are fabricated and assembled by production facility 105. Modular pontoons 400 are formed essentially of stiffened plate members 119. Upon delivery from facility 105, pontoons 400 are assembled on skids 405 within yard assembly area 300 using a crane 410, as needed, to form a hull 415 for an offshore platform. Hull 415 is delivered by skids 405 to load out barge 305 for transport to the installation site of the offshore platform.

In the illustrated embodiment, production facility 105 is located on a production barge 420 (FIG. 12A). Turning now to FIG. 13, an embodiment of production system 100 is shown, wherein production facility 105 is land-based. In such embodiments, it is preferable to position facility 105 proximate water so that modules 115 produced by facility 105 may be assembled and then transported via load out barge 305 to their offshore installation site.

FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate an embodiment of production system 100, wherein modular spacer barges 500 are fabricated and assembled by production facility 105. In this embodiment, production facility 105 is disposed on a production barge 525. Like pontoons 300 previously described, modular spacer barges 500 are formed essentially of stiffened plate members 119. From facility 105, spacer barges 500 are delivered by skids 505 to one or more pontoons 515 within yard assembly area 300 and assembled with pontoons 515 using crane 510, again as needed, to form a transport barge 520. Transport barge 520 is delivered by skids 505 to the edge of a dock, where barge 520 is launched. In some embodiments, transport barge 520 is a load out barge 305.

FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment of production system 100, wherein stiffened tubular members 117 are fabricated and assembled to form a plurality of buoyancy cans 600 for an offshore platform. Upon delivery from facility 105, stiffened tubular members 117 are assembled within yard assembly area 300 to form buoyancy cans 600 and then buoyancy cans 600 are delivered by skids 610 to an assembled hull 615 and installed thereon using crane 620, as needed. Hull 615 with buoyancy cans 600 coupled thereto is delivered via skids 610 to load out barge 305 for transport to its offshore installation site.

In preferred embodiments, load out barge 305 is reconfigurable and submersible. To enable reconfiguration, barge 305 includes two pontoons 700 with a plurality of pontoon members 705 connected therebetween. Pontoon members 705 have a width 710 and a length 715 exceeding their width 710. Pontoon members 705 may be connected between pontoons 700 such that the length 715 of each extends substantially normally between pontoons 700, as shown in FIG. 16, or such that the width 710 of each extends substantially normally between pontoons 700, as shown in FIG. 17. When pontoon members 705 are connected between pontoons 700 as shown in FIG. 16, the width 720 of barge 305 is wider, relative to its width 720 when pontoon members 705 are connected between pontoons 700 as shown in FIG. 17.

This flexibility enables barge 305 to transport wide loads, such as but not limited to an offshore platform 725 shown in FIG. 16. Moreover, this flexibility enables barge 305 perform some installation procedures. For example, in FIGS. 17 and 18, a topside 730 for an offshore platform 735 is transported by barge 305 to its installation site, where barge 305 installs topside 730 on platform 735 by floating topside 730 over platform 735. Floatover installation of topside 730 is possible because barge 305 has been configured such that its width 720 is less than the distance between columns 740 of platform 735. Once positioned over platform 735, barge 305 may be submerged to land topside 730 on platform 735 to complete the installation process.

As described, production facility 105 is preferably automated to minimize the use of human labor in the production of modules 115. This enables high-volume, repeated, and continuous production of modules 115, which in turn, reduces the time and associated cost for building offshore structures formed from such modules 115. Due to limited capabilities of existing automated fabrication and/or assembly means, the preference for maximizing the use of automation for fabrication or assembly within production facility 115 places constraints on the types of modules 115 which may be produced therein. For example, modules 115 formed from one or more basic or elementary shapes, such as a tubular and/or plate, lend themselves to automated fabrication.

To further reduce the time and associated cost for building the offshore structure, it is preferable to design the offshore structure in such as way as to maximize the use of modules 115 produced by facility 105 and to minimize the use of components that cannot be fabricated using automated means. In this way, manufacturing of the offshore structure is not design driven. Rather, the opposite is true—that the design of the offshore structure is driven by manufacturing. Thus, in some embodiments for producing an offshore structure in accordance with the principles disclosed herein, the types of modules 115 which may be produced by facility 105 given the constraints of its manufacturing layout 120 are initially identified. The design of the offshore structure is then developed based on a maximized use of the identified types of modules 115.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or teachings herein. The embodiments described herein are exemplary only and are not limiting. Many variations and modifications of the systems are possible and are within the scope of the invention. For example, the relative dimensions of various parts, the materials from which the various parts are made, and other parameters can be varied. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but is only limited by the claims that follow, the scope of which shall include all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. 

1. A production system comprising: a production barge; and a production facility disposed on the production barge, the production facility operable to produce a plurality of modular components for use in construction of an offshore structure; wherein the modular components comprise at least one of a stiffened plate and a stiffened tubular.
 2. The production system of claim 1, wherein the production facility comprises at least one production line with one or more stations, each station adapted to receive an input, modify the input to yield an output, and deliver the output.
 3. The production system of claim 2, wherein each station is adapted to modify the input by at least one of cutting, bending, twisting, heating, joining, repositioning, lifting, and setting the input.
 4. The production system of claim 3, wherein joining comprises welding.
 5. The production system of claim 2, wherein a majority of the stations modify their respective inputs via automation.
 6. The production system of claim 2, wherein the modular components are delivered from the production facility on skids.
 7. The production system of claim 6, further comprising a yard assembly area, wherein the modular components are received on the skids and assembled one to another.
 8. The production system of claim 7, further comprising a load out barge receiving the assembled modular components for transport to an offshore installation site.
 9. The production system of claim 2, wherein a first production line is parallel to a second production line and wherein a third production line is in series with the first production line.
 10. A production system comprising: a production facility adapted to produce modular components for use in construction of an offshore structure, wherein the modular components comprise at least one of a stiffened tubular and a stiffened plate modified using automation within the production facility; a yard assembly area proximate the production facility, wherein the modular components are assembled to form a portion of the offshore structure; and a load out barge operable to deliver the portion of the offshore structure to an offshore installation site.
 11. The production system of claim 10, wherein the production facility is disposed on a production barge.
 12. The production system of claim 10, wherein the production facility is disposed on land proximate the barge.
 13. The production system of claim 10, wherein the production facility comprises at least one production line with one or more stations, each station adapted to receive an input, modify the input to yield an output, and deliver the output.
 14. The production system of claim 13, wherein each station is adapted to modify the input by at least one of cutting, bending, twisting, heating, joining, repositioning, lifting, and setting the input.
 15. The production system of claim 14, wherein joining comprises welding.
 16. The production system of claim 13, wherein a majority of the stations modify their respective inputs via automation.
 17. The production system of claim 10, wherein the load out barge is at least one of reconfigurable and submersible.
 18. A method for producing an offshore structure, the method comprising: identifying modular components that are manufacturable substantially using automation; developing a design for the offshore structure, the design incorporating a plurality of the modular components; fabricating the modular components within a production facility positioned proximate a load out barge; and transporting the modular components on the load out barge to an offshore installation site.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising maximizing incorporation of the modular components into the design.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying precedes the developing.
 21. The method of claim 18, further comprising delivering the modular components from the production facility to a yard assembly area, wherein the modular components are assembled, via skids.
 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising delivering the assembled modular components from the yard assembly area to the barge via skids.
 23. The method of claim 18, further comprising positioning the production facility on a production barge. 